Presentation of Lifetime Achievement awards to Paul Manners and Sophie Duncan

We were truly honoured to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Paul Manners and Sophie Duncan.

Photo credit: Paul Blakemore

Created in 2019, this award recognises those whose life’s work has profoundly shaped the global field of engaged research and institutional change- and it’s hard to think of two people who embody this more fully.

Paul Manners has this rare ability to shift systems not by pushing an agenda, but by listening deeply. From his early work in education and media to co-founding the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE), he has consistently helped institutions, governments, and funders see how public engagement can help realise their own goals. Thoughtful, perceptive, and quietly transformative, his influence has travelled far beyond the UK.

Sophie Duncan has redefined what it means to communicate, connect, and build with care. With a background spanning physics, science communication, and public engagement, she has brought both intellectual rigour and genuine warmth to the field. Her work, especially through the NCCPE and as co-founder of Research for All, has helped shape a global movement grounded in collaboration, curiosity, and respect.

Together, Paul and Sophie have not just built programmes or institutions- they’ve helped nurture a culture. One that invites universities to listen more, engage more honestly, and act more responsibly.

It was a real privilege to celebrate them and their extraordinary journey. We’re grateful for all we’ve learned from them, and we look forward to continuing this work together-pushing the boundaries of what engaged, democratic knowledge can be.